I had a life it was taken from me now i have been given a new one and i tend to keep it but that has all been threatend when i return home with my new life they dont know who i am and i plan to keep it that way espically from him...Dimitri. please review!

Hey guys thanks for staying with me sorry its been a while. Now LISTEN CAREFULLY!!! I rewrote some of chapter 7 so it would fit in with this chapter so if you are confused don't worry. I plan to read through this again to make sure it makes sense I can't do it right now because its 1:47am and I'm falling asleep so I'm sorry for any spellings. PLEASE REVIEW to tell me what you think and if it makes sense!!

It was him!

It was really him…James.

James, Dimitri's best friend and Ella's husband, he was here right in front of me after all these years.

I knew I should say something but I couldn't. After all these years I finally got used to living without them, I finally got used to the thought of never seeing them again and now this!

I wanted to run up and hug James and never let him go but I couldn't, this school was my home now and I had to guard Carter, I owe her that much. Plus I haven't forgotten about what Dakel said to me years ago. How Dimitri called off the search because he didn't want to waste his men in searching for a useless human like me.

I was happy here I loved Carter and her aunt Anna, even Vincent and Bob, I loved living here its all I could want. Why would they want me back if they stopped searching? Why would Dimitri ever want me back? He had been like a big brother to me and to know that he would reject me after all I have been through…I just couldn't.

I couldn't go through that kind of pain.

I knew there was only one thing I could do that would hopefully keep everything the same.

Lie.

"Lilliana?" I heard James say again only this time he was a bit more uncertain.

I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry?" I asked him.

"Lilliana, its me James" he said coming towards me.

I stood up coming to my full height, I had cooled down now, my hair was tied back and I felt that my black tank top and shorts were the only armour I had against the pain I was about to endure by lying to a man who has been like a father to me.

"I'm sorry sir I think you are mistaken, my name is Lilly"

I held my hand out to James who took in uncertainly.

"But you look like her."

"I'm sorry sir, but I think you have the wrong person I'm the personal guard of Master Vincent's daughter, Lady Carter."

In a way I wasn't really lying…just twisting words around, and yes I do know I'm just trying to make myself feel better. James let my hand go, his grey eyes searched my face but after a while his eyes grew dark and I saw the disappointment and sadness that filled them, but why would he look like that if they stopped searching?

"I see, I apologize I thought you were someone I knew years ago. She was only ten and I have no idea what she looks like now but for a moment there I thought you were her, plus you have similar names, I apologize again that was my mistake"

Keep strong, keep strong!

"It's no problem sir I don not mind"

I could feel Vincent and Bob looking at me, I knew they knew I was lying because they already knew the truth.

Just then the gym doors burst open and in ran Carter.

"Lilly Lilly Lilly LIIILLLYY!"

She shouted jumping on me, I would have fallen over had I not be used to it already.

"What's wrong?" I asked pulling her off me.

"Are you finished with your training?"

I looked back at Bob, who was still reading his book.

"Go ahead lass there ain't much else we can do today anyway, but I would like to talk to you later though."

I knew he wanted to talk about what I had just said, but there was no point trying to get out of it so I just nodded, not that he could see me do it anyways.

"Okay then, thanks I will see you later Bob" I called over my shoulder as we made our way to the doors.

"My names not Bob!"

I just laughed. We headed pass Vincent and James while Carter said hi to her dad I could see from the corner of my eye that James was looking at me. I took another deep breath and kept walking, once we were out and into the hall I let a breath out that I didn't realise I was holding.

We began to walk down the hall heading towards my room so I could get changed.

"So where are we going?" I asked Carter knowing she had something planed.

"Well me and aunt Anna where going to go shopping, which is why you are coming to, I swear I love having my best friend as my guard 'cause then we can do everything together"

I laughed at her enthusiasm, if we were going shopping that meant that they planned to go into the city, it was about an hour and a half away from here.

Once I was changed into my work clothes which were basically black skinny jeans with a another black tank top and black coat and black boots…yes I know it's a lot of black.

When I was dressed I grabbed my weapons, a pair of bladed sai that hid in my boots, a pair of guns that I tied onto my hips and a long, sharp bladed sword that I tied to my back. Lastly I walked over to my night stand on top was a plain wooden box I opened the lid to reveal a silver bar, it was about the length of my fore arm and about an inch and a half wide, it was decorated with thin black silver vines that wound their way around the bar and at the top of the bar a detailed lily was engraved into the metal. I picked the bar up it wasn't heavy and it felt nice in my hand, now I know this is going to sound stupid but I don't know what it is. It was given to me years ago but they had never told me what it was only that I should always keep it with me.

I looked at the bar again and shrugged, might as well I thought to myself, and shoved it into a loop on my belt and made my way back to the door.

We then made our way to Anna's room. She was already waiting for us when we got there.

"Hello girls" greeted Anna with her soft musical voice.

"Hey" we both greeted her in return.

"Lilly, how was your session?"

"It went well thanks beat Bob again" I smiled.

"Well done sweet heart, shall we get moving then?"

We began to walk towards the main entrance of the building and once we were in the carriage and we began to set of I finally relaxed.

"Lilly?"

"Hmmm?"

"Is everything alright dear?" Anna asked me.

I looked over to her, her long blonde hair was tied into a lose bun her warm brown eyes looked at me worryingly, I loved Anna she was kind and loving and gentle, she had been the first person I told about those five awful years.

"Not really" I admitted.

"What's wrong?" Anna and Carter said at once.

"Well I was training with Bob as I normally do and then I went into a trance, don't worry though it wasn't a bad one,"

I said looking at their worried faces.

"Anyway after I came out of the trance I saw that Vincent had a guest with him. It was James, Dimitri's best friend."

"Oh my! What happened then? What did you say?"

So I told them what happened, after I had finished they were both looking at me, Anna with sympathy in her deep dark eyes and Carter with worry.

"What I don't understand is why you didn't just tell him." Said Anna.

"I don't want to leave Anna, I'm happy here plus why would they want me back anyway if they stopped searching for me? It's been 12 years. I just…I can't be rejected."

"Oh sweet heart of course you wouldn't be"

"But how would you know that Anna? They had stopped looking for me"

Anna opened her mouth to speak but then closed it, she had no answer to that and we both knew it.

"Besides I like working, I like being helpful and I love you guys to much to leave"

"What ever you want to do is up to you my dear, we love you very much and will be behind you know matter what you decide"

"Aunt Anna's right, its up to you" agreed Carter.

"Thank you" I simply said.

***

Today was the busiest day of the week in the city, the market stalls were up and people crowded down the streets to get where or what they wanted. The city was a beautiful place tall buildings lined the streets all different and all glorious. We got out of the carriage and almost immediately Anna and Carter were arguing on where they would start first.

They soon decided where we should start and made our way to the tailor's shop so Carter and Anna could get new dresses. The tailor's was smaller than the rest of the buildings but in no means less beautiful, the building was of dark glistening wood, while white wooded beams held up the front half the windows gleamed like diamonds in the sun and above the double doors was a sign saying: 'Madam Carina's'

Walking into the shop we were welcomed by the smell of lavender, a lady in her mid 60's with grey hair tied in a bun and a kind smile, came rushing over to us.

"Anna, Carter! My dears how are you?" she asked.

"Good afternoon Madam Carina we are very well thank you and yourself?"

"Oh yes I'm doing great"

I knew from previous meetings that Madam Carina was a witch, she makes clothes for all occasions by using magic and she was one of the best seamstresses in the entire kingdom.

"So you have coming looking for a new dress have you?"

"You bet," said Carter.

"Well then lets see what I can do for you please step this way."

We followed the witch into the back where fittings were normally done, Carter stood up on a small platform while Madam Carina flicked her hand and a tape measure began to float around Carter and began to take her measurements.

From behind me a drawer opened and out floated a long strip of blue silk, the silk began to wrap around Carter's form. Scissors then floated across the room and began to cut the material into a style. Overall it took about half an hour and Carter's new dress was wrapped and ready to go.

"Thank you ever so much Carina" said Anna.

"Any time my sweets, anytime."

And with that we were out of Madam Carina's shop, and back out into the busy streets.

Anna began to walk ahead while me and Carter walked behind.

"Isn't this dress amazing?" gushed Carter.

"Yep" I agreed.

To be quite honest I wasn't that much fond of dresses, don't get me wrong I could appreciate a lovely dress when I saw one but when ever I wore one it always reminded me of when I used to live in the castle with Dimitri and how he always bought me all different styles and colours of dresses. Plus that and I could hardly fight in a dress which wouldn't help my job in anyway at all.

The sun was at it's highest in the sky, meaning it was time for lunch, after Madam Carina's we had gone to a few more shops that sold all different types of jewellery, shoes, bags you name it. Now we were walking down a street called Prince's Grotto in search for a place to stop and eat, as we passed a shop window something caught my eye.

It was a man, now normally you would think so what, but this man was dressed in a dirty white dress shirt with equally dirty brown overalls, his greying hair was all over the place making him look like he hadn't combed his hair in years and his face was covered in smudges of dirt. He looked like he belonged in the lower part of the city were all the thieves and criminals lived not in the bright beautiful upper part where everyone was dressed in bold colours and were rushing from shop to shop. Again this normally wouldn't have bothered me because you sometimes had them coming up here and begging for money but this man wasn't begging in fact he was staring at something well someone, and that someone happened to be Carter.

"You alright there Lilly?" asked Carter.

I looked back to find my friend staring at me with concern.

"Yeah" I replied slowly "It's just that there is some man who looks like he's from the lower part here"

"Aw Lilly I didn't think you were the kind of person to care if a scruffy, dirty man was near you" she giggled.

"You know I wouldn't care, but what I do care about is that fact that that scruffy, dirty man has been following us for about twenty minutes now and has never once taken his eyes off you" I said in a dark tone.

I watched as Carter's eyes went comically wide at me.

"He h…has?"

I simply nodded, it had me worried in fact more than I would liked to admit.

"C'mon the sooner we get out off the street we should be okay."

I grabbed her free hand that wasn't holding her shopping and dragged her to Anna. Once I told Anna what was going on we went into the nearest shop, it was a book shop the walls were covered from head to toe in books old and new, it was quite packed but not so much as in you couldn't move around.

"Lilly?" called Anna.

"Yeah?"

"Come over here for a second."

I looked back to find Carter looking at one of the book shelves knowing she wouldn't go anywhere, I then made my way over to Anna.

"What's up?" I asked once I reached her.

"What are we going to do if that man really is following us?"

I thought about this.

"Stay in here for ten minutes or so as if we were shopping and if he is still there by the time we go out we head back to the carriage got it?"

Anna nodded in agreement. I turned back around to tell Carter but when I looked she wasn't where I left her.

"Anna? Where's Carter gone?"

Me and Anna began to look around, her heading around the shop and me going to where I last saw her. I looked around the people but Carter was no where to be seen. I then walked towards the man behind the register,

"Excuse me sir? But did you see a young lady a bit smaller than me with red hair? She was standing over beside that book case just a second ago."

The elderly man looked to where I was pointing his glasses magnified his eyes to look like tennis balls.

"No, I'm sorry I didn't"

"Lilly! I can't find her" Anna panicked coming up to me.

But I didn't hear her, no my eyes were looking out the window of the book shop and onto the street floors where a shopping bag with a blue silk dress was spilling out onto the floor. The same blue silk dress Madam Carina made for Carter earlier on.

"Shit!"

I ran out of the shop to where Carter's bag was lying and picking it up, Anna came rushing out behind me, I gave her the bag and we looked around her for Carter and me for the man that was following us. And as I suspected both were nowhere in sight.

"I can't see her!" said Anna

"And I can't see the man that was following us either"

"Oh no! Lilly what are we going to do?"

"Anna go get the authorities, I will go look for Carter" I barley saw Anna nod and run off to find the police, I was to busy concentrating.

I closed my eyes.

Blocked out all noise.

And took deep breaths.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

I got it. It was faint but I was able to catch Carter's sent. I know what your thinking I'm Human, how am I able to pick up a scent? Well it was rather hard it took me years to learn and thanks to Bob I was able to achieve it, you see heightened senses aren't magical so anyone can do it if they wanted to it just takes years of practice. If it was anyone else I probably wouldn't be able to do it it's just the fact that I am always around Carter and know her scent really well.

I opened up my eyes and saw a faint green line of smoke like substance that was only visible to me. The green smoke represented Carter's scent, so once I had it I was off.

I ran down streets upon streets following the green line in front of me turning down alleyways and jumping down stairs. I began to leave the vibrant, packed streets behind and began to enter narrow dark streets with cobble stones missing from the paths making it harder to run somewhere in the back of my mind it registered that I must be in the lower part of the city. Which meant that where ever that bastered took Carter could be very dangerous.

I picked up my speed racing down the streets passing beggars who tried to grab me and beg for money but having no time I pushed them away, I felt guilty for doing so but it was quickly pushed back with the urgency to find Carter.

The green smoke that was her sent began to become thicker and brighter which meant I was close.

Turning down another street my breaths began to quicken, I saw that the green smoke almost looked solid and was glowing. I slowed down and looked around me, I was in a dark cobble stone alley way hardly any light was down here so shadows where every where at the end of the alley way was a tall building its windows were smashed and there were darks stains splattered across the walls which was probably blood. The smell was horrific, it smelled like dead animals and sewer it was over powering and I began to lose Carter's scent but it was alright because the green mist was leading me into the building and I knew from its glowing that Carter was inside.

I let the scent go and walked towards the building, the door was ajar meaning someone had recently been through. Opening the door with my foot I made my way inside.

If I thought outside was gross then inside was a wasteland. The floor, if there was any, was cover in rubbish, paper, bottles, broken glass, dead animals like birds, rats and mice. The smell was making my eyes water but just then I heard a scream and all thoughts I had went flying out of my mind. I began to carefully make my way across the room to a side door on the far right hand side where I heard Carter scream. The door was open and led to a metal banister that then went into stairs leading down into a square room that was surrounded by big stone support structures. In the middle of the room was clear and if you looked up you could see a glass rood that was long since broken, Carter was lying right in the center with the man from before circling her with a sword in his hand.

I made my way down the stairs and hid behind a stone pillar, looking around I watched the man carefully I knew I could just go in there because he was closer to Carter and if I moved now he could easily harm her.

So I listened to him while I waited to make my move.

"Who is she!" the man shouted.

"I don't know who your talking about!" cried Carter, it broke my heart to hear her like that and it took everything I had not to jump and tear the little shit to pieces right now.

"Yes you do! You are Carter Knight are you not?"

"Y…yes"

"Daughter of the great Vincent Knight?"

"Y…yes"

"Then you must know"

"Know what?!" she screamed.

"Shut up! My boss is looking for a woman and not just any woman no, this woman has great powers and is feared by even the strongest of beasts."

What? How the hell is Carter suppose to know this woman? Hell even I don't know this woman and I know everyone Carter knows.

"I don't know! I have never heard of such a woman before."

"You have to! Vincent Knight knows exactly who and what she is, you are his daughter he must have told you!"

"He told me no such thing!"

"But…but he had to! You're lying!" he sneered.

He pressed the sword down onto Carter's throat enough to make her whimper.

"I told you to shut up!" he screamed at her and smacked her across the face.

"Your going to wish you never done that to me! My friend will find me and once she does your going to wish you where never born!"

"Ha! She? What the hell could a female do to me? I mean look at you, lying there not even attempting to move just waiting for something to happen. Well since your not giving me any answers this way maybe another method?"

I could see his evil smirk and the lust that was in his eyes and I knew exactly what he was going to do.

Raged was consuming me, I wanted to rip this mother fucker's throat right out, I just need his back to me c'mon move!

And like he heard my thought he began to move so his back was towards me. This was my chance! As so as his back was turned I moved.

I was almost there when he turned around his eyes were wide as I kicked up off the ground and talked him across the room. I was up quick and made my way back to Carter picking her up and pushing her behind me so I was then facing the son of a bitch who was going to try and rape her.

"Well, well ,well" he said smirking "I'm guessing this is your little friend?" his beady little eyes looked me up and down.

"Yeah I am, and who the fuck are you?" I seethed.

"Oh? Feisty? Come to join the party then?"

"Why you little-"

"Ah ah ah you really do have a bad mouth don't you? So what? You thought you come in here save your friend and walk out did you?" he began to laugh.

"Actually yeah I did" I replied.

This made him stop laughing.

"Oh and is that right?" he laughed some more "Okay then sweet heart I will even let you take the first hit."

I smirked at this, men and their damn egos.

"My pleasure"

I walked up to him with strong strides I pulled my arm back and swung with full force into his chest. It was as if everything was in slow motion, as my fist connected with his chest his eyes went wide in disbelief, his body hunched forward and he flew off his feet right across the room.

I smirked again and turned away.

"C'mon Carter lets go"

As I walked to her I heard him get up and begin to run towards me, just before Carter screamed I turned around and grabbed the fist that was aimed for my head twisting it around then with my other hand I brought it in full force to his elbow breaking it clean in half with a sickening snap! The man doubled over in pain and began to scream.

I walked up to him and grabbed him by his neck his eyes were full of fear, I punched him in the face breaking his nose blood began to pour freely down his face.

"Who are you?" I asked in a deadly voice.

"G…George Steller"

"Steller? As in the man who killed a family of five in the small village of Hampshire?"

"Y…yes"

"What did you want from her?" I asked motioning to Carter.

"in…infor…mation"

"Information on what?"

"Her."

"Her? Who's her?"

"The woman that the master wants."

God this man is irritating.

"Who is your master and why does he want this woman?"

He didn't say anything just looked up at me as if he didn't understand.

"Tell me you little bastard!" I shook him.

"Can't say he will k…kill m…me"

"I'll kill you if you don't!"

His face broke out into a grin showing me his bloody teeth and soon he began to laugh. I could tell that I wouldn't get anymore out of him, letting him go he fell to the ground again still laughing.

"Carter?"

"Y…yeah?"

"This man killed a man and his wife along with his two children, he slit their throats and burned them, and now someone has got him following you. I know you won't like this but I can't risk this man coming after you again."

"Your going to kill him?"

"Yes"

"I understand."

"Good, turn away"

"Okay"

I took out one of my guns from its holster by my hip and aimed it at the man. He stopped laughing and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Dakel"

I froze.

"What?"

"M…my master, his name is Dakel. P…please d…don't kill me"

"Dakel?"

What the hell is Dakel up to, what woman is he looking for? Whatever it is I can't be good.

"Yes. W…will you let me go?"

I looked back at George whimpering on the ground and all I could feel was disgust, he killed an innocent family for no reason and then kidnapped my best friend and almost raped her and he is asking me to just let him go. I know you are probably thinking that I don't seem the type to kill…but your wrong it happens to be part of the job, when I trained not only was I taught to protect my charge but also if a criminal was to hurt my charge in anyway by law I had every right to kill them.

"No"

"What! No please, please I'm begging you please spare me"

I lifted my gun and aimed at his head but just then his eyes went dull and his face paled.

"Y…you."

I lifted an eyebrow.

"Your surrounded by shadows, you…you have been kissed by death himself, the shadows they…they protect you."

"Your mad" and with that I pulled the trigger and George Steller was no more.

I turned back to Carter and grabbed her hand leading her through the building to we were outside. I didn't even spare a thought about Steller, cold hearted I know but you get used to it when you have been doing my job for years. Once we were outside I closed my eyes in concentration and focused on Anna, just like Carter I knew Anna's scent off by heart and soon a faint orange light appeared and I began to lead Carter back.

"You alright?" I asked as we walked.

"Yeah" she sighed. "I just wished I would stopped being kidnapped all the time, it's getting tiresome"

I gave a slight chuckle to that.

"You don't get kidnapped that often anymore you know"

"Yeah I now I don't, ever since you became my guard there has only been a couple of times but still."

I looked down true her kidnappings had gone down dramatically, but I still felt guilty because if I had kept a closer eye on her it wouldn't have happened.

"I'm sorry" I said.

"For what?"

"Everything, you getting kidnapped today and for killing Steller"

"Don't be it wasn't your fault hell it would have happened to anyone, and as for Steller don't waste your breath I have seen worse and you did the right thing now that family have been avenged."

I gave a slight smile to her words but didn't say anything.

It took us a while but soon enough we were back on Prince's Grotto and I could see Anna with the police and soldiers around her. As soon as she spotted us she ran towards us and embraced us both in a warm loving hug.

"Thank goodness your alright, Carter thank god your safe"

"Yep only a minor bruise and a few scratches but nothing that wont heal" she said with a smile.

"And Lilly thank you and I'm glad your safe as well"

"Thank you" I said and moved over to the Soldiers, some of them I knew from the Academy I quickly gave the a short description of what happened leaving out the part about me being kissed by death and Dakel, that was something for Vincent to hear.

We then made our way back to the carriage and once we were in and beginning our way home I felt myself thinking over Steller's word's My boss is looking for a woman and not just any woman no, this woman has great powers and is feared by even the strongest of beasts.

I knew Dakel was his boss but who the hell is he looking for? And why? I then began to remember something he said years ago when he kept me prisoner. I could feel my self drifting away into another Memory Trance, I knew Carter and Anna were safe since we had soldiers escorting us home so I let the trance come hoping it would shed some light on to the situation.

Everything was fading and I was once again consumed by Darkness.

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